Historic photographs of
Moravian Pottery and Tile WorksPhotographs
from the National Register Collection

The Moravian Pottery
and Tile Works was established by noted anthropologist, antiquarian,
artist, writer, and tile-maker Henry C. Mercer, a leader in
the turn-of-the-century Arts and Crafts movement, in an effort
to recreate early Pennsylvania pottery manufacturing techniques.
In style, the Tile Works is an adaptation of the California
Mission Church, partly chosen because Mercer believed good art
came from religious faith; in construction it reflects the early
use of reinforced concrete for industrial purposes. The Moravian
Tile Works is his second building, constructed after the first
was destroyed by fire. The name Moravian is derived from his
collection of old Moravian stove plates. Mercer's factory produced
tiles depicting Pennsylvania flora and fauna. Mercer was awarded
a gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis Exposition and a 1921 gold
medal from the American Institute of Architects. The Tile Works
is owned by the Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation
and is open to the public as a museum illustrating Mercer's
tile making techniques. The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works
building is a short distance away from the Mercer Museum, and
is a "U" shaped building constructed around an open courtyard.
Built of reinforced concrete with concrete buttresses, measuring
approximately 120 feet by 100 feet with arcaded court, it resembles
a medieval cloister. The factory is 2 ½ stories built in tiers
with towers. The gable roofs have rounded ridges of brushed
concrete with steep parapets at the gable ends. Irregular chimneys
and windows with a variety of decorative tiles are set in both
exterior and interior walls. The present building, built between
1911 and 1912, still functions as a manufactory of mostly architectural
tiles, and was designated as a National Historic Landmark by
the Secretary of Interior in 1985.

Located alongside Fonthill, the Moravian Pottery and
Tile Works is located on Fonthill and Moravian Pottery Court
St. and 130 Swamp Rd., off of Rte. 313, which runs north/south
of Doylestown. The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works Museum
is open daily from 10:00am to 4:45pm, and closed on major
holidays. There is a fee. Please call 215-345-6722 or visit
the website
for further information.